Midnight Mist
by MoonbeamsAndFairies
Summary: The Devil doesn't wield a pitchfork nor does he lurk in the fiery depths of hell. The Devil doesn't have a goat's head or horns in place of hair. The Devil's at her doorstep in the midnight mist, the issue at hand could not simply be dismissed.
1. Thunderstorms

_**To whom it may concern,  
I think I'm going to delete my previous story 'Love me' because it is literally the most embarrassingly stupid story I've ever written and I've written some pretty bad stuff ...so yeah, I apologise to like the seven people that slightly cared about it I guess, but I felt rather ridiculous writing it, so I'm taking a darker approach to this pairing. **_

* * *

The Devil doesn't wield a pitchfork nor does he lurk in the fiery depths of hell. The Devil doesn't have a goat's head or horns in place of hair. The Devil's at her doorstep in the midnight mist, the issue at hand could not simply be dismissed.

* * *

Rain violently pelting foggy glass. Electric bolts galloping across the stormy skies, wicked thunder letting out its infamous battle cry. It was near impossible to sleep though such a vicious tantrum. The young woman turned on her side, pink locks sprawled across the pillows, eyes squeezed tightly shut, trying to will herself back into a peaceful slumber. She had to be up early the next morning, couldn't the weather of chosen another night to declare war? A new sound caught her attention, a doorbell, chiming through her ears. Who could it possibly be at this time of night? She tried to suppress her curiosity, she wouldn't look out the window or go downstairs to check. They could wait until tomorrow. She heard the bell go off again, followed by hard, angry repetitive knocks at her door.  
Lightning lay on her back, yanking a pillow from under her head to cover her face in an attempt to drown out the unwanted visitor at her doorstep, but it did nothing to help her case. Annoyed she sat up in bed, chucking the useless pillow at the wall.

"Go away!" She screamed over the raging storm. For a moment she believed they had gone as the knocking instantly came to a halt at the sound of voice. Sinking back into her bed she tried to ignore the weather's fierce battle over domination of the sky.

The rattling of metal could be heard from downstairs and she instantly assumed they'd found the spare key. _Whoever it was sure seemed persistent._ Listening to the door swing open then slam shut she noted the intruder had no intention of being the least bit quite. Abandoning her bed she grabbed the knife off her bedside table. She'd give them what for.

She enter the landing, her empty hand blindly investigating the wall in search of the light switch. Advancing further, she eventually found what she had been looking for. Flicking the switch upwards, the hall suddenly flooded with colour. She felt safer in the light, more at ease, more aware.

Amber eyes scanned the perimeter, _it had to be here somewhere._ He knew she had it. Storming through the corridor he shoved a small table out of his way sending it crashing to the ground along with a picture frame it which he paid very little attention to and a empty vase that shattered to pieces the moment it touched the floor. He could hear bare feet hurry down the stair case, he figured his lack of care alerted her to his presence. _I'm sorry, did I wake you?_ He didn't care he wanted her to hear him. She wouldn't be able to stop him.

Noctis knew she was currently following him, leading her through the dark living room, _he had her now._ He knew she had a knife in her right hand as well, but they both knew he still had the advantage. Crossing the room he stood beside the lifeless fire place before turning round to face her the woman standing a safe distance away.

The two stood in silence. Aqua eyes locked with his.

Suddenly she lunged towards the taller man attempting to strike him in the chest, he threw a hand up in defence having lodge itself in his palm instead, piercing so far through he could practically see the end sticking out the back of his hand. And when he didn't do so much as wince she created further distance between them.

The prince glared back at her before yanking the knife out of his hand and throwing it to the darkest corner of the room. Then hovering his able hand above the bleeding one he proceeded to return it to its former state.

She watched helplessly as the flesh on his hand returned to its previous position as if nothing had ever happened. If it were any other day she wouldn't have let him do that she would have shot a bullet straight between his eyes, but fortunately for him she'd left her blazefire with the armorer for maintenance.

Her eyes left him for mere seconds as she tried to search for something to use it defence, but it seemed he had in a very vulnerable position. Lightning's eyes found the fireplace once more to find that the dark haired man had disappeared. She'd forgotten he did that. Without warning felt herself being slammed into the wall, the back of her head taking the most impact. His long fingers firmly taking hold of her night shirt.

"Where is it?" He demanded impatiently, lifting her off the ground to match his height, he leaned in extremely close, so that she could feel his hot breath on her face. And in that moment she noticed something she hadn't before, something unusually strange. He'd been out in the thunderstorm for a good ten minutes but he wasn't the slightest bit wet. _Perhaps he had an umbrella?_ But he never seemed like the type to carry one. Her train of thought was lost as the prince grit his teeth and repeated his question in a much harsher tone than she thought was possible. "Where. Is. It?"

She wouldn't give in to him though, she hadn't before and she wouldn't now, trying to convince herself she wasn't intimidated by him she replied in the calmest tone she could in this situation. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're lying!" He roared above the thunderclap, holding onto her shirt even tighter.

She was indeed. "I'm not!" She defended desperately trying to break free from his iron grip, "I'm not."

Noctis didn't seem too convinced. "Tell me and I'll end you quickly...painlessly, refuse and I promise you...I'll make sure you feel agony like you've never before."

She glared at his amber irises, she'd rather the slow burn than let him win. "Fuck you." She spat, finally giving up on her pointless squirming.

She closed her eyes ready to accept her fate. Waiting for an attack of any kind but none came. The weather now at harmony, the prince released her sending her crashing down on her hands and knees. Her heart pounding violently in her chest. _He was letting her go?_

Turning his back to her he began to leave the way he out in a tone much different from the others less aggressive but much more sinister. "This isn't over Claire, I'll be back."

* * *

The brunette's eyes widened at the solder's story in bewilderment. "Wait, am I hearing this right?" Asked Fang loudly trying to make sense of the situation. "The crown prince... broke into your house last night and demanded you hand over th-"

Lightning's hand slammed over the talking woman's mouth. "Keep your voice down." She hissed, glancing around to see if anyone had been listening.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She apologised holding her up in surrender, "Are you sure you didn't just...dream it?"

"You think I'm a lunatic?"

"Yes." Instantly realising her mistake she tried to mend the situation."I-I mean no. No not at all!" Stuttering she raised hand, requesting the waiter fetch the bill, "I didn't mean it like that...If you're so worried about it you could always come stay with me...or your sister. She tells me she hasn't in months."

"No."

"No?"

Farron sighed, folding her arms across her chest, she wasn't in the mood for a game of cat and mouse. "I'm not going to hide, Fang. I'll deal with it."

"Okay." Mumbled the other, receiving the receipt they'd been awaiting. She glanced at the clock, "You should get going. I've got it." she assured waving the thin paper between her fingers.

"Are you sure?"

"Go."

Accepting the gesture, she thanked her before making her retreat, it was her against the clock now and she most certainly didn't want to be late. _Again._

Hastily padding down the busy streets of Insomnia, although she wouldn't admit it she enjoyed Fang's company, they were similar in many ways yet differnt. She knew the prince wasn't to far from here. Perhaps he was watching her right now, waiting for the right moment to catch his prey or maybe she was just paranoid? _No._ She had to be aware, alert, mindful of what was happening around her, he'd caught her off guard last time but he wouldn't again.

His portrayal in media was far from accurate, she knew him better than anyone else. If she lost to him a second time she'd surely be dead.


	2. The Shard

She sketched a rose on the page with needle-like thorns, petals withering away it was clear it had died long ago. Lightning wasn't the artistic type in fact she was far from it as the drawing had a hint of deformity in its shape but she hardly cared. She only wondered what it meant as she'd seen it in a dream the other night, normally she wouldn't think too much of it however this dream seemed oddly familiar, resembling the one she'd had the night before her mother's death six years ago. She was suppose to be taking notes but their conversations sounded to be irrelevant, nevertheless she gave into the voice in her head and flipped the page, engaging in the meeting once more as Leonis wouldn't be impressed if she didn't have at least something written down for him since she had agreed to attend the meeting in his place.

There were only four of them around the table, the entirety of them (with the exception of herself) being men and none in which she recognised. With half an ear she listened to whom she assumed was hosting the meeting drone on about the castle guard system, jotting down what seemed to have what he called 'importance'. Despite the man's fancy dialect and flashy attire it was quickly established he had no idea what he was talking about or it just didn't sound as good as it did in his head. Yet the soldier held her tongue as she knew people like this don't often take too well to criticism.

After what felt like eternity the conference came to an end and Lightning tried hard to conceal her burning hatred for the man that wasted almost two hours of her life with trivial opinions and thoughtless battle strategies. _Build a wall to keep all the commoners out?_ Without hesitation she shot out of her chair and gathered her belongings before leaving the scene not caring how rude the others may have thought she was _that man was intolerable._

On her way out she was approached by a slightly taller middle aged woman with long darkish hair slicked back into a ponytail. By the looks of it she'd been searching for her for a while as her face displayed obvious exasperation. " Cor Leonis requests you meet him on the roof." She grumbled positioning herself right in Lightning's line of vision.

"huh?" It didn't make sense, he'd told her he'd be at the castle for a month or so but he hadn't told her why and she never asked.

"Are you deaf or something? Cor Leonis wants to see you on the roof." Repeated the woman much louder, clear and certainly more ill-mannered than she had the first time.

Lightning grit her teeth , "Did he send you?" _Why was he back so soon?_

"No, the receptionist did." As the other raised an eyebrow the lady let out a frustrated sigh, "She told me. To tell you. To meet Cor Leonis. On the roof! How is that so hard for you to understand?!"

Finally the soldier just walked away she wouldn't allow her own vexation the satisfaction of slapping the battle axe across the face. She supposed she'd find Leonis then.

* * *

The moment she stepped out onto the roof the clouds started weeping which had been unusual as the sky had been clear minutes ago. Scanning the area, it didn't take long for her to realise who had really been waiting for her as he stood in plain sight. Amber eyes twinkling with anticipation the corners of his mouth twitching into a knowing grin.

"You have it." He called to her from the opposite side above the winds unsuccessful attempts to drown him out, "I want it."

Lightning's trembling fingers finding their way to the hilt of her blade she advanced a step closer towards him she yelled back, "I won't give it to you!"

Raising his palm he produced a white light illuminating the darkness he triggered a similar one from her chest bleeding through her turtle neck revealing she was wearing it as a necklace, "Hand it over and I'll be true to my word you'll die painlessly."

In what appeared to be defeat the two chains were yanked from her neck and being held carefully in the palm of her open left hand. The lightning bolt pendent and the crystal. Holding her hand out to him she allowed him to examine the two items from a far before shoving them into her coat pocket, "I'm not going down without a fight."

"Very well." responded the other summoning a sword to his hand, "We'll do this the hard way."

Lightning would have never imagined Noctis would be her devil, the one awaiting her at the gates of Hell. He was the master of lies and she could see it now, she could see how stupid and naïve she had been. She made the first move lunging towards the prince not even the rain would put out her flame of spirit he'd remember this battle.

She swung and he defended her blow, metal clanging nosily at impact their swords shaping an 'x' in the air. "Answer me this!" She demanded breaking the letter and dodging his instant attack. "Did you ever love me?"

The prince didn't reply, not with words instead he look advantage of how open her stance was and slashed at her torso careful not to harm the shard in her pocket he sliced through he jacket and into her flesh inflicting a gasp.

Ignoring the pain in her side and the one arising in her heart she raised her sword above her head then bringing it down over and over again until it caught his check. "Answer me!" She cried hailing down another blow her swings becoming more and more violent.

She swung again but her storm was put to an end as he caught her wrist, in his hand rendering it helpless and saving his face from a nasty blow. _She was dead now._ They stood like this for what felt like hours before her eyes finally met his _cobalt_ ones she'd missed them he could see it in her eyes. She was breathing heavily covered in sweat, rain and tears. "I'm sorry..." He whispered.

She was confused for a moment but soon enlightened as felt a sharp blade plunge through her side, with the little strength she had left she shoved him away with her free hand dropping her weapon in the process. He didn't resist as he knew he had already won. Weakly rummaging through her pocket she found the one thing the prince seemed to treasure more than her. And with every ounce of force left within her she threw it on the ground watching into shattering into a thousand pieces and seeing his expression change within the blink of an eye.

She could hear him scream in agony as the world faded around her, she was going to die.

Her vision didn't fade to black as she'd expected it to instead a fiery vortex, blazing distorted faces dissolved in flames, _was she going to hell? Probably..._


End file.
